Flexible couplings



March 7, 1961 T. HALL 2,973,633

FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS Filed Dec. 22, 1959 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

. THOM-A s HA LL B W @MWKQW five/ri e March 7, 1961 T. HALL 2,973,633

FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS Filed Dec. 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR THOMASY HA LL 8 mad,

FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS n I "l" S apphcahoncreat- But-am contact with the tapering edges of the flange slots or '7 Claims." (cam-1'1 ible'component bonded to; metal or other rigidelnd; members and'rin particular to a rubber component 'hav-l ing a conical'f'section inconjunction with shaft flanges which incorporate-a taper bush fastening device-as de-H 2,973,633 Patented Mar. 7, 1961 plates in any desired position by various means, such as welding, riveting, screwing or moulding.

A preferred form of lug is arranged so that it has a taper which fits a correspondingly tapered slot or recess on the periphery of the driving or driven flange and the relative dimensions of the lug and slot or recess are such that there is a clearance between the circumference scribed in British-patent specification No. 592,912 :or.

movement on ashaft;

Generally speaking" existing coupling designs incorporating a rubber element of conical section bonded to the metal portions of the coupling are limited in size and .not' convenient for boring or assembly, while-deof the endplate and the flange so that only the lug can act upon the flange. The action of the rubber element which expands under torsion maintains the lugs in close recesses. Further, the bed of each flange slot or recess may be arranged so that the only contact between the lug and the base of the slot or recess is a line contact whereby bending stresses on the lug are reduced to a minimum. a

To obtain'a wide range of coupling characteristics, the flexible component may be doubled or trebled by provision of a light connecting element adapted to connect and locate the adjacent lugs or other connecting means of each component. A connecting element of this type 1 i can be arran ed as a s acer rin when this feature is s mllar fastening "device permitting easy assembly and: g p g required.

By rubber is meant any of the natural or synthetic polymers used in the rubber and plastics industry and q the rigid endplates are not confined to steel pressings signs using a rubber element of conical section bonded but may be of any material which is rigid at normal drive temperatures.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a flexible coupling according tothe invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the coupling shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

A Fig. 4 is a sleeve for use with the coupling of Figs.

flexible component of a flexible coupling comprises a biconcave flexible element disposed between two relatively rigid elements having convex faces united to the concave faces of. the flexible element. Normally, the

flexible element' 'will'be of rubber and the rigid elements of metal. According to another aspect of the present invention,

one piece steel pressings, which can be assembled as a single unit between flanges mounted on the driving and driven shafts, the}; anges preferably being provided with taper bushes oriother device permitting easy movement upon and fixing-f6 the shaft.

The bonded plates may be adapted to transmit power between lugs formed in tli steel pressing and disposed at right angles to the pi e" the biconcave rubber element, the lugs being arra' to slide into slots or recesses on the periphery oft driving and driven flanges.

The lugs may be protected against fretting and abrasion by covering" them with rubber, the rubber providing a cushion between the lug and the corresponding flange slot and minimising damage due to relative movement between the lug and flange. The rubber may be applied either as a separate rubber sleeve assembled over each lug or may be moulded on or bonded to all the lugs of the steel pressing in a single operation.

Alternatively, annular sections, lugs or studs for attaching the flexible component to the flanges in a positive manner can be fastened to the pressed steel end nited-to the flexible element are Fig. 5 is a side elevation in section of the coupling shown in Figs. 1 to 3,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation in section of a form of flexible coupling alternative to'that shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modification of the flexible coupling shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation in section of one of the flanges shown in Fig. 7.

In the drawings like numbers refer to like parts.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 3 and 5, conical steel elements 7 are bonded to a rubber element 8 to form a flexible component for the coupling. Elements 7 carry lu-gs 7a which engage in slots 9a of flanges 9. Flanges 9 are mounted on driving and driven shafts 10 by means of tapered bushes 11 each of which is keyed on to the shaft. Each tapered bush 11 fits within the tapered bore of the flange 9 and wedges the flange on to the shaft in the manner described more fully in British patent specification No. 592,192.

The rubber sleeve shown in Fig. 4 may be fitted to each of lugs 7a so preventing metal to metal contact between the lugs and the slots 9a and providing a further degree of resilience in the coupling.

In the construction of Fig. 6 there are two rubber elements -8 bonded to conical steel elements 7, the lugs 7a of which engage in the slots of flanges 9 and in the slots of an intermediate element 12, disposed between the two elements 8.

. In Figs. 7 and 8, the lugs 7a are tapered and fit tightly into correspondingly tapered slots 9a, the relative dimensions of the lug and slot being such that a clearance 13 is obtained between the circumference of the ele- 2,o7 a,eaat.-= 3 4 edge. The junction of surfaces 9b and 9c forms aline periphery and each .recessbeing tapered towards the contact for lug 7a. side of the'fl'ange from which the shaft extends, and a I claim: flexible component disposed between said flanges, said 1. A flexible coupling comprising a driving shaft, an, inflexible component comprising two metal elements havdriven shaft arranged in driving relationship. with said 5 ing convex faces and a biconcave flexible rubber element driving shaft, a driving flange mounted th dri i disposed between the two metal elements, the convex shaft, a driven flange mounted on the driven shaft ieachs faces of the metal elements being united to the concave flange having recesses in its periphery, and aflexiblev ,fa 0f h f element, and the metal m n component disposed between aid flanges, said fiexible-. carrying On their peripheries tapered lugs fitting the recomponent comprising two relatively rigid elements and 10s cesses in theflanges-and arranged to transmit drive from a flexible element disposed between and fixed to said M the driving flange to the driven flange, the relative dirigid elements, and said rigid elements carrying .periphemehSiOhS 0 h g and flahgeii'ecesses being h that eral lugs fitting the recesses in the flanges and arranged ,mgthere is a clearance between the perimeter of each metal to transmit drive from the driving flange togthesdriven-rs l, .element' and its:corresponding hangervv e flange. 15 j 6. A flexible coupling as claimed inclaim 5 in which 2. A flexible coupling as claim d .i l i nl i which the bed of each flange recess is arranged so that the only taper bushes are inserted between the flanges and'the ei'contact between the corresponding 3 and the base of shafts, said bushes wedging the flangesvontothe shafts; the re? is a line contact- 3. A flexible coupling comprising a driving shaft,;,a:-.

driving shaft, a driving flange mounted on-.the driving the driving flange and the driven fiange,"each flange and shaft, a driven flange mounted on the driven shaft, each a the intermediate element having recesses in its 'P P flange having recesses on its periphery, and a'flexibley, and two fleXibie-coihpohfihtsi one of which is componcnt disposed between said flanges,. said flexible V; posed between the intermediate element and the driving component comprising two metal elements having con- '25 flang the other ofewhich is disposed between vex faces and a biconcave flexible rubber element disintermediate element and the drivehtflahge, each flexible posed between the two metal elements theconvexfaces: Component cohlPlisihg two relatively iigidhiemehts and of the metal elements being united to the concave faces a fieXihle'feiemem disposed between and fixed t0 Said of the rubber element and the metal elements carrying iigidi'eiemehtsilsaid g ielemelits'caflyihg P P on their peripheries lugs fitting the recesses in the flanges g g therl'ecesses fiahges'ahd' the 'ihififmfidb' and arranged to transmit drive from the driving flangeelfimeht'ahd arranged to transmit drive from 7 r to h d i flange ing flangertothe driven flange via the' intermediate ele- 4. A flexible coupling as claimedin claim 3 in which mean the lugs are covered with rubber to provide a cushion Reiel'encesrciied in the file of-this patent J1 between each lug and the flange recess in which it-fits. 35 UNITED ST ATES'PATENTS 5. A flexible coupling comprising a driving shaft, a

driving shaft, a driving flange mounted on'the end of? the driving shaft, a driven flange-mounted on the end FOREIGN PATENTS L of the driven shaft, each flange having recesses on its 7. A flexiblefcoupling comprisinga driving flange, a driven shaft arranged in driving relationshipt withlsaid T20 dfivfih g 'afl'rihtel'mediate' element disposed between 586,599 Great Britain Mar. 25, 1947' 

